Men's Tennis: 5 best Australian Open finals

The Australian Open was the last of the 4 Grand Slams to be established. While the other 3 Grand Slams took shape in the 19th century, the Australian Open was first played in 1905. Initially called the Australasian Open, the Australian Open is today synonymous as the 'Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific'. It is also noteworthy to mention that the Australian Open was the first Grand Slam to have a retractable roof covering its two primary courts - the Rod Laver Arena and the Margaret Court Arena. It is also the only Grand Slam to have been conducted in 2 different countries - Christchurch and Hastings in New Zealand have also played host to the Australian Open.

Roy Emerson, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have won the Australian Open the most number of times at 6 each. Rod Laver Arena previously called Centre Court and Flinders Park has been witness to many epic battles over the years between the sport's greatest.

We reflect back on 5 of the greatest Australian Open finals matches :

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#5 John Newcombe vs Jimmy Connors (1975)

John Newcombe

22-year-old American Jimmy Connors was dominating the men's field in 1974 and looked to carry his domination onto the 1975 season. He had won a whopping 99 of his 103 matches in 1974, including 3 Grand Slam triumphs at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. He had risen to take the World No. 1 ranking.

John Newcombe, the Australian, 8 years senior to Connors, was determined to come big and make a statement of intent at the Australian Open. Connors was the defending champion but Newcombe had won the title in 1973. Newcombe was seeded 2nd and enjoyed the backing of a partisan crowd.

Newcombe had a very difficult road to the final and had to overcome fellow Australians Geoff Masters and Tony Roche in epic 5-set contests in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. He was up against a younger Connors in the final.

After Newcombe won the first set, Connors powered his way to victory in the second set to even the match and looked to have momentum in his favor. With Connors serving at 2-3 in the 3rd set, three successive controversial line calls helped Connors take a 40-15 lead. Amid the boos from the Australian crowd, Connors lost his nerve and handed the break to Newcombe. Connors fended off one match point on the Newcombe serve to force a fourth-set tiebreaker, and Newcombe resisted one set point against him in the tiebreaker before winning the match 7–5, 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(9–7).

#4 Mats Wilander vs Pat Cash (1998)

1988 Australian Open champion Mats Wilander

Local boy and crowd favorite Pat Cash's match-up against Mats Wilander in the 1988 Australian Open men's final was heavily anticipated. The match was an absolute treat for tennis fans, with the duo slugging it out for four hours and 28 minutes before Wilander finally emerged victorious, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 3-6, 6-1, 8-6. Mats Wilander was cruising after winning the first set and leading by 4-1 in the second set, when the skies opened up. The rain break provided Pat Cash an opportunity to recharge his batteries and come out all guns blazing. However, a second rain delay the third set played to Wilander's advantage. It was edge of the seat stuff in the 5th set as 3rd seed Mats Wilander kept his cool despite every one of his unforced errors being cheered vociferously by a raucous Australian crowd.

#3 Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal (2017)

Roger Federer with the 2017 Australian Open trophy

The most memorable Grand Slams in recent memory has to be the Australian Open of 2017. It was a throwback to the 2009 Australian Open with the same two men (now over 30 years of age) competing in the final once again. Both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer had a forgettable 2016 season and as a result, both were losing ground to Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. Federer, in fact, entered the tournament as the 17th seed while Nadal was seeded 9th.

Both of them had a difficult path to the finals. Federer had to beat Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka in two tough 5-set contests. Nadal had to save numerous break points and set points against Grigor Dimitrov in his semi-final win over the Bulgarian.

The stage was set for a fairytale finish. Federer took the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in three hours and 37 minutes to become the first man to win 5 or more Grand Slams trophies in 3 or more Grand Slam tournaments. Federer needed a medical timeout in the 5th set and was facing two break points on his own serve before bailing himself out of the situation to win his 18th Grand Slam crown.

#2 Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer (2009)

2009 Australian

Open :

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer having a lighter moment

The 2009 Australian Open final was a clash of the top-two seeds and a repeat of the 2008 Wimbledon final. No Federer fan will want to be reminded of it though. Rafael Nadal’s 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-2 victory over Roger in 2009 final is remembered more for the post-match camaraderie between the great rivals than the tennis itself.

The match was nowhere close to the edge of the seat stuff witnessed during the 2008 Wimbledon final but few will forget the sight of a crestfallen Federer breaking down in tears during the post-match trophy presentation.

“God, it’s killing me,” Federer said as he tried to deliver his post-match speech, before he broke down and was consoled by Nadal who had a few comforting words to say to the great Swiss.

#1 Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal (2012)

Novak Djokovic with the 2012 Australian Open trophy

The 2012 Australian Open finals match-up between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal is considered by many fans and pundits alike to be the greatest Grand Slam final of all time.

It was the longest ever Grand Slam final ever contested stretching for 5 hours and 53 minutes. Djokovic emerged victorious over Nadal 5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7 (5–7), 7–5 to lift his third Australian Open trophy. There was very little to separate these two gladiators as the margin of defeat was very narrow.

The Spaniard in his post-match press conference described the match as both the hardest loss of his career and the best match that he had ever played. Few could argue about that. Nadal was seemingly hitting winners in his forehand from ridiculous angles sometimes not even being captured by the camera's frame.

“I’m full of joy,” Djokovic said, “but I think still I don’t have a real sense of what’s going on.” This practically summed up the entire match. If at all any match deserved a draw in tennis, this had to be the one.